Loading device for



C. C. ATKINSON.

LOADING DEVICE FOR TRUCKS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT- I I 1920.

Patented Apr. 4, 1922.

3 SHEETS-*SHEET I- ATTORNEY.

l C. C. ATKINSON. LOADING DEVICE FOR TRUCKS.

` APPLICATION FILED SEPT-11,1920.

Patented Apr. 4, 1922.

a suns-saler 2.

ATTORNEY.

C. C. ATKINSON.

LOADING DEVICE Foa TRucKs.

R. m. WY m Patented Apr. 4, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- APPLICATION FILED SEPT. H, 1920.

BY /j v l A TTORNEY.

UNITED STATES YPA'IVQEN'I OFFICE.

v CHARLES C. ATKINSON, OF MIAMI, FLORIDA.

LOADING DEVICE FOR TRUCKS.

Application led September 11, 1920.

To all wiz-,0m t may concern.'

Be it known that I, CHARLES C. ATKINsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Miami, in the county of Dade and State of Florida, have invented new and useful Improvements in LoadingDevices for'Trucks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved loading device for motor trucks and is of universal application for loadinoV different materials whether of loose granular character such as sand and crushed rock or of long rigid character such as logs beams and columns.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a mechanism of simple and economical construction that can be driven from the engine of a motor vehicle and controlled in a simple and convenient manner.

rI he invention provides a plurality of drums connected with an actuated shaft by means of ratchet mechanism which may be manually controlled to engage or release said drums. The drums are also provided with releasable means for holding the same in adjusted position. By releasing the holding means the dropping of a hammer is permitted for tamping rock or pile driving or for any operation whereit is necessary to release a weight possessing potenk tial energy.

In addition tothe objects above enumerated of providing a universal loading and unloading'mechanism for `motor trucks, the invention also consists in novel constructions and arrangements of parts which will become apparent as the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, proceeds.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a plan view of a truck and trailer attachment having my invention applied thereto. Y

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through a pair of the drums on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of part of the motor truck frame supporting the drum `mecha nism.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation showing the arrangement of the derrick and cables for loading sand or gravel from a pit or bank.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view on the line 5-5 of Figure 3 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 6 is a front view of the supporting frame for the derrick.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 4, 1922.

Serial No. 409,540.

Fig. 7 is av sectional view showing the ratchet mechanism of one of the drums, the section being taken on the line 7-7 of Figure 3.

Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of one of the pawls of the ratchet clutches.

The numeral 10 designates the frame of a motor truck having` the body 10', the usual hood 11, concealing the engine, the steering wheel 12 and the drivers seat 13. rIhe engine of the vehicle drives through the main clutch, (not shown), the main drive shaft 14and the transmission mechanism 15 and differential 16 mounted on the rear axle. In the illustrated form of my invention, the transmission mechanism 15 is shown mounted on the rear aXle housing and in this case the drive for the loading mechanism is taken directly from the main shaft 14 by means of the sprocket wheel 17 secured thereto, and a sprocket wheel 18 secured to a counter shaft 19 of an auxiliary transmission mechanism.

The sprocket chain 20 connects .the two sprocket wheels 17 and 18. Gear 21, and pinion 22 are also secured to the countershaft 19 in spaced relation and intermediate the transverse supporting frame members 23, 24, which are vsecured. to the side members of the truck frame. The countershaft 19 and an auxiliary shaft 25 are rotatably mounted on the transverse frame member 23 and 24 by means of detachable bearingplates 26, 27. An idler pinion 28 is mounted on a stub shaft 29, which is supported on the transverse member 23 by means of a bearing plate 30. The auxiliary shaft 25 is splined as shown at 31 and a gear set comprising integral gears 32, 33 and a grooved collar 34 is mounted thereon. The gear 34 is adapted to operatively connect the pinion 21 to the shaft 25 in order to drive the same in a forward direction, and the gear 32 is adapted to mesh with the idle pinion 28 in order to drive .the shaft 25 in a reverse direction, it being' understood that the position of the gear set intermediate of the gear 21 and idler 28 provides a neutral or non-driving relation. The gear set is shifted to these various positions forward, neutral, or reverse by means of forked member 35 adapted to engage within the groove of the collar 34.

The forked member 35 is secured to a rod 36 which is shiftable longitudinally in bearings 37 detachably secured to the transverse frame members 23, 24. The rod 36 is connected to a transverse shatt 38 journalled in bearings 39, secured to the side members oitframe l0, by means of an arm 40 projecting from the shaft and connected to the rod 36 by means of a pivot pin 4l.

The auxiliary shaft extends beyond the bearings 27 in opposite directions and is also j Ournalled in end bearings 42 and 43 suitably supported by transverse frame members 44 and 45 respectively. Two drums designated respectively as 46 and 47 are rotatably mounted on the rear extension et the auxiliary .shaft 25 `between transverse 'trame members 24 and 45. The drums 46 and 47 are lformed with flanged heads 48 and 49, respecment with the teeth 'of tively. Ratchet wheels 59 and 50 are detachably secured by means of fastening devices 5l to the flanged heads 49 and 48, respectively, of the drums 47 and 46.

Spiders 52 are `keyed to the rear extension of the shaft 25 within the flanged heads 49 and 48, and ratchet pawls 58 and 5B in the form of bell-crank levers Vare mounted to rock on said spiders. During the rotation of the shaft 25 the ratchet pawls 58 and 53 are caused by centrifugal action to move outwardly or away from the shaft 25 into engagement with the teeth ot the ratchet wheels 50 and 51., respectively. It desired, springs 55 mounted in recesses formed in the spiders 52 andbearing against the pawls 53 and 53', may be provided to maintain said pawls normally Vvin engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheels 50 and 50. Theteeth of the ratchet wheel 50 carried by the `flanged wheel 48 are oppositely disposed to thosey ot the ratchet wheel 50 carried by the flanged head 49. Similarly, the pavvls 53 carried by the spider 52 associated with the rflanged head 48 are disposed oppositely to those carried bythe spider which is associated with the flanged head 49.

From this construction it will be aijiparent V that one drum may be rotated when auxiliary shaft 25 rotates in one direction while the f'o'ther drum may be rotated while the's'haft `moves in reverse direction. .A construction is also provided whereby one or the other of the drums 46, 47 `may be released from the shaft. For this purpose the pawls 531and 53 are provided with cam Vshaped projections 54, 54 adaptedto cofop'erate rew spectively with the rounded ends of slidable collars 5'6, 56 eaeh'having agroove 57, 57 into which grooves the forked ends of pivoted 'levers 58, 58 `extend for the purpose of sliding the collars longitudinally on the rear extension of the auxiliary shaft. When the collars 56,V 56 engage the cam extensions of :'the pawls, the `latter will be rocked von ytheir pivots and their ratchet engaging ends will :be moved inwardlyland out of engag the ratchet wheels For the purpose ol actuating theforlied levers 58, 58 a transverse shaft 59 is provided and isjournal-led in bearings 60 attached 'to the truck frame. Arms 6l, 62 are secured to rshaft 59 on opposite sidcsoi the drums and these arms are pivotally conneeted to rods 63, 64, respectively, which in lturn are connected to the levers 58 and'58. The shaft 59 extends beyond the side member oi the truck trame and is provided near this Yextremity with' an operating arm 65 which is connected to a rod 66 extending to an `operating lever (not shown) within convenient reach et the operator of the vehicle. The adjacent ends of the drums 46, 47 are provided with oppositely disposed peripheral ratchet teeth 67 and 68 engaged by dogs 69 and 70, respectively which dogs are piv! otally supported on opposite side members of the truck frame. These dogs normally tend to engage the ratchet teeth on account of the distribution of their weight. It will be understood that the dogs 69 and 70 are adapted to hold the drums 46 and 47 from reverse rotation during the normal'operations ot' the shaft 25. However, in Vorder to release Vthe load carried bya cable, wound on one or the other of the drums 46, 47 as in pile driving orv tamping, lugs 71 and 72 are secured to the shaft 59 so that when the shaft l59 is rocked in order to release the pawl 53 or the pawl 53 the lug 7l or 72 will engage the dog 69 or 70 and litt one or the other out oit engagement with its ratchet Wheel thereby completely releasing thecorresponding drum. K

A drum 75 is rotatably mounted -on the forward extension of the auxiliary shaft y25, said drum being oitV similar construction to drums 46 and 47 previously described, in that it has a flanged head 76 to which issecured a ratchet wheel 50a having teeth disposed similarly to the teeth ot the ratchet wheel 50. Pawls 77 are pivotally mounted" on the spider 52L rotatablyV secured'to the forward extension and are normally spring pressed Vinto `engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel and are also provided with cam shaped extensions 54a adapted to cooperate with the rounded surface 78 of a Vgrooved collar 79.V One end of the pivoted lever 80 engages the groove of the `collar 'for the purpose of moving the collar longitudinally of the shaft into and out of' enga-genicnt with tl'ie'cam ends of the pawls 77 andV for `this purpose lever 89 is V'connected to a,

1,41 nasov lteeth 86 with which a dog 87 pivotally secured to a side member of the frame is adapted to engage. For the purpose of releasing the dog 87 from engagement with its ratchet wheel, a lug 88`secured to the shaft 81' is vadapted to engage and lift the dog 87 out of engagement with the ratchet wheel when the shaft is rocked to release the pawls 77.

A trailer 90 is secured to the motor truck frame by means of a king pin 91 in order to extend the body of the truck for the purpose of properlyreceiving logs or similar members of great length. The supporting frame of a derrick 92 is secured to the frame of thetruck in advance of the drum 7 5 and this support frame is preferably A-shaped as shown in Figure 6 and has at its apex a plate 93 provided withforwardly and rearwardly extending eye-pieces 94: and 95. A guy cable extends through the eye-piece 94 and has its opposite ends secured, respectively, to the forward end of the frame on opposite sides of the hood 11, at 96and 97. A boom 98 is pivotally connected to the cross-piece 99 of the A frame by means of a plate 100 secured to one end of the boom 98 and having a hook shaped extension adapted to engage in an eye-bolt 101 secured to said cross piece. The free end of the boom is provided with a plate 102 having a downwardly extending and a rearwardly extending extension provided with openings to receive the hooks of pulley blocks 103 and 104;. A cable 105 extends through the pulley block 104 and through the pulley block 106 attached to the eye piece 95 and thence to the drum 17' which is thereby enabled to raise or lower the boom into any desired position about its pivot 101. A cable 107 passing over a pulley block 108 secured to the derrick supporting frame 92 has one of its ends secured to the drum 46 and its other end secured to a scraper or other load carrying device for returning the scraper to the pit or bank from which the gravel or other material is being obtained. A cable 109 having one end wound upon the drum 75 passes over the pulley 103 and is provided at its free end with a hook 110 for engaging the articles to be loaded, the cable 109 is for the purpose of hauling the scrapers to the truck and loading the material upon the truck body. lVhen a dump body is used, the hook 110 may also be attached to the same after loading and preparatory to dumping, The disposition of the cables shown in Figure 3 is for the purpose of loading logs on t-he truck by reversing the direction of rotation of the auxiliary shaft 25 bymeans of the secondary transmission mechanism, and thereby successively rendering the drums l16 and' 47 operative for this purpose as described in my copending application Serial No. 393.108, filed June 30, 1920.

In addition to the applications of my invention above descril'ied, the drums may be used in connection with the raising and releasing of a load for the purpose of driving piles and tamping rock or the like, by releasing the drum of the operating cable, by rocking the shaft 59 or 81 t-o cause the lugs 71, 72 or 88 release the dogs 69, 70, or 87, and the collars 56, 56 or 79 release the corresponding pawls from their respective drums 46, 17 or 75 which will permit the weight to fall freely under the influence of gravity.

This invention has been described in connection with a motor vehicle having the transmission mechanism mounted on the rear axle. However, it will be understood that it is equally adapted to motor vehicles utilizing the unit power pla-nt, or having the transmission mechanism located near' the center of the vehicle. ln such cases, however, the driving mechanism 20 will be modified accordingly and preferably the drive for actuating auxiliary mechanisms, such as a loading device, will be taken from the jack 'shaft 'which is ordinarily provided in the transmission mechanisms of modern motor trucks. Other modifications may also occur to those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains, but all variations in the details of construction or general arrangement of parts'which do not depart from the spirit or scope of the appended claims are included within the purview of the invention.

Having described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is z 1. The combination with a motor driven vehicle, of a shaft driven by the motor thereof, an auxiliary shaft, drums mounted on said auxiliary shaft, ratchet devices interposed between said auxiliary shaft and drums adapted to function in opposite-directions, means for releasing said ratchet devices from operative engagen'lentwith said drums, transmission mechanism for imparting a forward or reverse motion to said auxiliary shaft to operate one or-the other of said drums when said ratchet devices are in operative position, means for actuating said transmission. mechanism from the first named shaft, and a cable wound on each of said drums,

The combination with a motor driven vehicle, of a shaft driven by the mot-or thereof, an auxiliary shaft, drums mounted on said auxiliary shaft, ratchet devices interposed between said auxiliary shaft and drums adapted to function in opposite directions, means slidably mounted on said auxiliary shaft for rendering said ratchet devices inoperative7 ratchet mechanisms for preventing said drums from rotating in a reverse direction and means for releasing one of said ratchet mechanisms simultaneously with the release of the corresponding ratchet device,

transmission mechanism for imparting a forward or a reverse movement to said drums, means for actuating said transmission mechanism from the first named shaft and a cable mounted on each of said drums.

3. The combination with a motor driven truck, of a shaft driven from the motor thereof, an auxiliary shaft, means for driving said auxiliary shaft from said first named shaft including a selective transmis sion mechanism, transverse frame members in which said auxiliary shaft is Vrotatably mounted, a plurality of drums rotatably mounted on said auxiliary shaft, ratchet mechanisms adapted to connect two of said drums with said shaft `for rotation in opposite directions, means fordisengaging one of said'ratchet mechanisms and simultaneously rendering the other operative, ratchet vmechanism for connecting anotherof said drums to the shaft, means for independently con trolling said second ratchet mechanism, and a cable wound upon each of said drums.

4, In a motor driven truck, the combination of a shaft driven from the motor of the truck, an auxiliary shaft, selective transmis sion mechanism arranged between said said clutch devices operating to connect two of said drums to the auxiliary shaft when said shaft is rotated forwardly and to con-y nect one of said drums to the auxiliary shaft when said 'shaft is rotated reversely,control ling` mechanism for simultaneously actuati ing two of said clutch `devices in opposite dj.- rections, a separate control for the clutch device of the `third drum capable of independent Voperation, and cables Wound upon each of said drums.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto setV my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

y CHARLES c. ATKINSON.

Witnesses: 5 i' E. E. GAIN, A. lV. LEE. 

